


Surround Me

by zastrifel



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, Happy Ending, Headcanon, Soulmates, a little angsty
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-09
Updated: 2014-10-22
Packaged: 2018-02-20 11:22:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2426882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zastrifel/pseuds/zastrifel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mostly canon. Carmilla and Laura (in light of recent developments) are soulmates. Laura warming up to her vampire roommate. Carmilla being the broody, smitten vampire we've all come to love. Mature content later on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so after I realised I was eternally ruined by this amazing Wed Series, I kept having this thoughts about Laura and Carmilla crossing paths before. So that's what the Prologue is for. It was written before episode 20 was up, but somehow felt fitting after it. Chapter 1 is set immediately after said episode. This is my take on this. Don't know how many chapters this is going to be. It's a little angsty right now but promise to make it lighter and way happier really soon. As the tag says, there's going to be a happy ending and nothing less.

** (pre-episode 1) **

 

 

The beat of the music is reverberating through her body, making her skin crawl and her bones rattle inside her. Normally, she wouldn't stand listening to that loud music...like ever. But Betty slid her some shots - lovely colours they had - and they tasted a lot better than she had thought they would. But her head is now buzzing and she can't tell if it's because of the music or the alcohol. She lost Betty in the sea of people several minutes ago and trying to find her has proven only futile. There are probably two hundred students at this party and, what the hell? Is no one taking their studies seriously at this university but her? Oh wait...

Well, okay. This is just one time. It's not like she's a party animal or anything. She's the example of a committed student; just not right now. Right now, she's trying to find a way out of this human quicksand - the bodies of drunken dancing Silas students bumping into her, dragging her in rendering all of her efforts at escape fruitless. She just wants out of there. Betty is nowhere to be found - typical of her, really. She's the kind of girl who always knows where the party's at, the one that everyone knows and loves and Laura couldn't be happier to have her as a roommate. They're the exact opposites, but it works.

Someone tries to get her to dance with him. He's tall like a tree and she's only 5''2' - it's easy to lose him. Hell, if she wasn't afraid of getting stomped to death, she could even slide under his legs and disappear into the sea of flesh. Instead, she smiles politely and declines his offer. She moves to leave, but he blocks her way and with a smile on his face, he asks again - this time adding that he's a good dancer, as if that would convince her. But Laura just wants out of there and into the safety and familiarity of her room.

"I'm sure you are, but I'm neither a good dancer nor in the mood, but thanks again!" she yells trying to mask the music. He shakes his head and grabs her arm. "C'mon, babe...don't be like that!" he tells her and drags her closer to him.

Okay, Laura is officially done with this not-so-much-of-a gentleman. She tried to be polite, but she guesses that an excessive intake of alcohol and an extreme case of egomania can make a person not understand that "no" means "no".

"I told you, I don't want to!" Laura tries gritting her teeth, not having any of this guy any more. She pulls her arm, but his hand is firm around her wrist, and honestly, it hurts a bit.

It's moments like this, that people think at a speed of a million light years per second. It's like when you have this moment of absolute clarity and everything around you slows down. Laura is having a moment like that and her mind takes her back to a few years back in just an instant; back when she started attending High school, and her Dad sat her down and gave a lengthy speech about protection. Not that kind of protection, but real life protection like how to use bear spray, or call 911 without hesitation if threatened, or even how to disarm an attacking man. Laura was confident that crashing this guy's larynx was not an option - let alone the fact that she never really got to practise it again except for a few times when her Dad had brought back a mannequin he had found by the side of the street. Laura had all but burned the thing in an effort to disinfect it before practising any moves on it. Gary McPlastic had taught her that she could use her height to her advantage, but that was a long time ago and Laura couldn't remember the exact moves. So she thought of the next best thing and her Dad's most valuable safety lesson. "If someone corners you, yell 'FIRE' at the top of your lungs! Not 'rape', but 'fire'. You understand?"

Laura had wondered why she should be untruthful in a dire and dangerous situation like this but it was a few years later that she found the answer to that question. Posture ready, taking a deep breath, oxygen filling her diaphragm, her eyes firey and determined, she opened her mouth and "Fff...-"

Hey, where did that guy go?

She sees a flash of black and she swears she heard a cry. Okay, what is happening right now? Somewhere between the brain-busting beat of the music and the students' screams of joy, she hears someone cry for help and that his arm is broken, and holy shizballs if it isn't Mister Can'tkeepmyhandstomyself crying actual tears of pain, trying desperately to get away from the dancefloor - and aren't we all?

Laura's mouth hangs open both in astonishment and wonder, because how the hell did this happen? Did she do it with her mind? Have all these hours she spent concentrating on moving the pencil finally paid off? But her powers wouldn't come all at once. She wouldn't be able to do something like that when the only way she could ever move a pencil without touching it was by exasperatingly blowing air on it. So how did this happen? She stands there, mouth agape, and forgets the dancing people around her. But they don't forget about her. They keep bumping into her again and, seriously, she knows she's short but what the hell? She's not invisible!

Some girl with killer moves whips her hair and Laura stands back, only to get pushed by a muscular and way too sweaty guy wearing a unicorn hat, eventually losing her balance and falling to the floor. To the sticky, dirty, infested with 5 million different kinds of microbes floor and Jesus, Mary and Joseph she can't get back to her room fast enough. Just as she's about to get up, a set of strong hands picks her up from behind.

 _Well, that's nice of him_.

"Are you entirely incompetent? Idiot!" she hears the raspy but feminine voice.

 _Or her_.

She turns around but the girl does so as well, and clearing the people in front of her like they're corn and her glare is the machete, she pulls Laura with her and away from the dancefloor. Laura, taking in a deep breath, feeling now safe and not as crowded, tugs on the girl's hand.

"Hey, thank y-" she tries, but the girl releases her grip and leaves - more like vanishes - and all Laura got to see was dark wavy locks. She will never get to express her gratitude to that girl.

Oh, well.

She heads to her room. No sign of Betty still. That's okay though; she knows how she is. She'll probably turn up in the late afternoon with her sunglasses still on, or she'll sneak in while Laura's sleeping and crush on her bed. It happens like five times a week. Laura drags her buzzing body in bed and revels in the warmth the covers provide. She briefly thinks about the mystery girl that she didn't get to thank and goes on to mentally make a grocery list. And then she's unconscious.

Betty doesn't come back that night.


	2. Chapter 2

** (post-episode 20) **

 

Laura is left baffled. She has no idea how she could ever digest any of the information Carmilla has given her. The fact that she is a freaking vampire alone is impossible enough. Now her broody, horrible but not-as-much-as-of-late and kidnapped roommate comes with a genuinely tragic backstory and her 'Mother', her sire, uses vampire-students on campus to abduct people.  And Carmilla has been helping possible victims escape. 

 

_Oh God. Carmilla..._

 

She feels guilty. But she fights it. Carmilla is still a vampire. A creature of the night that lives on blood. Human blood. And they're living together. God, when did her life change? One day she was leaving for college, excited about her studies and the people she was going to meet, and now? Well, now she was feeding Carmilla blood from a mug. The smell of the blood is making her sick, but she keeps feeding her. She needs to feed. Seeing her spasm out of control was terrifying enough. Stupid vampire. Did she have to reach that point to share her truth. Albeit justified, given the details the brunette provided.

 

God, she was left in that coffin for so long. How did she ever manage to function again after that? How did she ever manage to be around people again, to trust? She was betrayed by her Mother _and_ Elle. _Elle._ Boy, Carmilla must have been really smitten. She even came up with an escape plan. She would give up everything, including her sire, to be with that girl.

 

"Hey, Carmilla..." calls Laura to get the other girl's attention.

 

Carmilla looks up to face her roommate and kidnapper. "Mhmm?"

 

"What was she like?"

 

Laura is on her bed and moves to sit closer to Carmilla, whose chair is facing the bed.

 

"You mean..."

 

"Elle" answers Laura.

 

Carmilla feels a pang in her heart and does nothing but stare at Laura. Her eyes linger on light hair and fair complexion, eyes full of wonder and kindness, and  she feels her own eyes start to water. So, she turns the other way and stares at the window instead. It's night outside. The stars will be out there.

 

"Why do you want to know?" she asks defeated.

 

Laura shrugs and tries to sound as nonchalant as possible. "Curiosity, I guess." She hears Carmilla laugh bitterly. "It just strikes me as weird, is all."

 

"What does?" Carmilla asks hurriedly turning to face the girl again.

 

Laura is a little taken aback and is afraid she went too far. _Elle subject: not to be touched._

 

"Nothing. Forget I said anything" she tries.

 

"No, tell me. What is it that strikes you as strange?" the vampire pushes.

 

Laura lets out a small sigh. She can't go back now.

 

"Okay," she starts, "so you were having all that vampiric, sucking-people's-blood, travelling-the-world kind of fun with your Mother...the Dean," Laura cringes, "so why did you give that up for...you know, _her?_ "

 

Carmilla turns her head again and tries desperately to catch even a glimpse of the stars. Her only way to feel free.

 

"It's not as _fun_ as you might think after a few years - decades. Beside the allure and the balls and, of course, the world travelling, there's...something else." She doesn't know if she should continue. She's already said too much. But she's so tired, she doesn't care anymore. She has accepted her fate a long time ago and she was a fool to believe she could change it.

 

"What?" comes Laura's faint whisper.

 

Carmilla sighs and shakes her head. Well, it doesn't get any lower than this. "There's...pain. There's guilt. There's...loneliness."

 

_Oh..._

 

"And Elle; Elle was different. She fitted the criteria, of course. She was young, naive, too kind for her own good. She was the perfect mark. But from the first time I saw her I felt she was different somehow. I felt...drawn to her. As if she was magnetic and I, a tiny plate of metal, unable to change my course but to her. She was light. She was young, _unlike me._ Her refreshing manner and childlike attitude towards everything held me her captive. But the truth was she was mine. Unbeknownst to her and her family, of course. Mother's voice kept ringing in the walls of my mind, reminding me. _She's the prey. You're the hunter. The lurer._ My purpose was clear, but for the first time in my life - well, my _after_ -life - I couldn't find it in my heart to hurt her. I couldn't. I wanted to be the one to save her, not cause her harm."

 

Laura is silent. She has this nagging feeling, that pull in her stomach, as she feels the urge to get up and hug Carmilla. 

 

She doesn't though.

 

"Thank you for sharing that," she tries instead. Her voice is sweet and low.

 

Carmilla lets out a bitter laugh. "Well, I kinda didn't have a choice now, did I?" and makes a point of moving to emphasise on her tied up state. She knows it's not entirely true, though. She could have kept certain details to herself. But somehow, albeit kidnapped by the very girl she has been crushing on, the same girl that lured her into a trap and starved her for nine days as a twisted form of interrogation, she somehow feels like she can open up for this girl. It's foolish, it's immature, it's masochistic and it'll quite possibly prove catastrophic for her, but she can't help it. Somehow, she forgives her for deceiving her, for _still_ having her tied up and, dammit...maybe she's developing Stockholm Syndrome. 

 

Laura is still looking at her, her eyes soft on the other girl. She turns to look at the window. "Do you want me to push you to sit over there?" She can't untie her yet; Danny and the girls will kill her. For some reason she doubts Carmilla will, though. So, she offers the only comfort she can right now. Carmilla nods, eagerly so, much unlike her usual languid bearing. Laura smiles and helps her move by the window sill. The sky is clear tonight, full of stars. She catches Carmilla's marvelled gaze.

 

"Do you need anything else?" the younger girl asks.

 

The vampire could respond with a snarky ' _yeah, set me free'_ but she doesn't. As much as she would like out of these ropes and stinking garlic necklace, she knows it won't go anywhere. Laura can't let her go. Not yet, at least. She knows she's a monster to her. How else could she see her as? God, she's a fool for thinking otherwise.

 

"No, thanks," comes her low, raspy reply.

 

And then she feels it. She knows it's there. Her lingering stare. Not malicious though. No. More like...she doesn't though. She daren't look. She's afraid of what it's going to do to her. She keeps gazing at her stars, her escape, her salvation. Her constant. The world may be crushing around her, but she knows _they_ are always going to be there. Her comfort. Her freedom.

 

She can feel Laura's eyes boring her like flaming arrows; another aspect of her torturous state, she guesses. She's about to protest and offer an insult about kidnappers needing a good night sleep in order to keep their strength, but Laura's touch is bringing torture to another level. She's more than aware of the younger girl's hand brushing through her hair, bringing it to the back and out of her face; a gesture so kind and delicate it sends her mind reeling.

 

Laura lets out a deep breath and rests her hand on Carmilla's shoulders, squeezing ever so lightly. She makes notice of how she's not as cold as she had thought vampires would be. Guess Twilight was wrong about that one - among other things. She wants to say something. She wants to say she's sorry for keeping her this way, for everything that happened to her, for luring her into a trap when Carmilla thought she was actually interested in her. In a romantic way, not an 'I need some answers like now and you're the only vampire I know' way. She hears a sharp intake of oxygen and pulls her hand as if it were burning.

 

"Goodnight," she offers shyly and makes for her bed. She hears a whispered 'goodnight' and covers herself with her blanket. Sleep doesn't come for another hour. An hour filled with thoughts about Betty, all the missing girls, how Danny, LaFontaine and Perry will react when they hear everything she learnt. Thoughts about the Dean, the criminal vampiric mastermind who was frightening enough even before she learnt her true identity; about Carmilla - messy, lazy, blood-sucking, cookie stealing, mysterious, beautiful and tortured Carmilla. She feels a pull in her heart, but refuses to linger on it. She's got other things to worry about.

 

She dreams about blood, darkness and the unmistakable feeling of being closely watched. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are looking up. Tell me what you think.


	3. Chapter 3

 

The first rays of the sun are shining through the window shedding light to dancing specs of dust. The whole world is waking up and Carmilla feels like she's about to pass out from exhaustion. She never got to get a mere second of sleep and she wishes she could attribute it to her confined state. She wishes she could blame her usual sleeping patterns. She curses herself for being so worried. So damn vulnerable. Centuries old and she is concerned about a naive silly girl who has been holding her hostage for the past 10 days now, on top of everything else.

 

Stupid. Moronic.

 

She cranes her neck to look at Laura sleeping in her bed and feels the million painful needles piercing the back of her neck. She had tried to move a few times so as to get closer to her when she heard the first moans and her heavy breathing, but her spent tied up body didn't allow her. Laura had kept breathing hard, mumbling in her sleep and asking for help; for someone to go away but the vampire had unwillingly stayed put, unable to offer any kind of comfort to the young girl. She tried to talk to her, wake her up but all Laura did was even her breathing and go back to sleep. So Carmilla waits. She is all too familiar with nightmares and wants to know if she is alright.

 

So stupid. _Idiot._

 

Laura starts moving, slowly waking up from her slumber. She rubs at her eyes, ridding them of sleep and turns to look at Carmilla.

 

"Hey," she offers, her voice gruff.

 

"Good morning, sunshine!" bids Carmilla with feigned glee. "Sleep okay?"

 

Laura frowns and lets her head hang a bit. "Not really. I keep having the same nightmares. Only they grow even more harrowing every night."

 

"You shouldn't have thrown away your charm, sweetheart," replies the vampire arrogantly, her exhaustion evident.

 

"Well, you try going around campus with a dried bat wing!" comes Laura's response.

 

"First of all, you idiotic child, it's for your protection and _not_ a fashion choice. And secondly, you could wear it while you sleep and not around campus. What? You're afraid it's going to put off your _girlfriend_?" asks Carmilla, wishing she hadn't gone there.

 

Laura stares at her for a few moments. "Let's not go there, please," and gets up to head to the bathroom.

 

 _"Let's not go there,"_ Carmilla mimics mocking her roommate. It's a wonder Danny the human tree hasn't shown up yet. She usually comes right after Laura wakes up, like a loyal gigantic milkman. They talk, scheme and share a few ridiculous laughs all the while Danny giving Carmilla the stink-eye.

 

Laura comes out of the bathroom, wearing her jeans and shirt, and approaches Carmilla. "Did you sleep okay?" she asks.

 

The brunette stares at her with disbelief.

 

"Well, not okay...of course, you didn't sleep okay. I mean-" Laura takes a deep breath, " I mean, are you okay?" Her face is red.

 

"Well, okay is just an understatement, princess." Laura huffs and opens the fridge to get the blood and pour it in a mug. "I'm peachy," mocks Carmilla, "grand, superb even! What if I'm stuck on a chair and malnourished for the last ten days, forced to share my tragic experiences while watching you belittling them by offering a puppet show to your pathetic viewers and, the worst of all, being unable to escape your stupid meetings with your gang of fools? Oh, I'm just wonderful!"

 

Laura raises an eyebrow while stuffing a straw in Carmilla's mouth. "You could have said no, you know."

 

The vampire narrows her eyes as the straw turns dark red, feeling the thick liquid filling her mouth and giving her life.

 

"I don't know, I just thought I might have kept you up with my nightmares and all," offers Laura weakly.

 

"Well, you didn't," comes Carmilla's quick response. She licks a drop of blood from the corner of her mouth, casting her eyes anywhere but to the other girl. 

 

Laura finds the floor more interesting for a few seconds, a small pull at her stomach nagging her. "Can I ask you something?"

 

"I don't know. Can you?" Carmilla feels like herself again, although her insults don't carry as much satisfaction as before.

 

"First of all, drop the attitude, Carmilla," offers Laura sternly. "You showed me a different side of you yesterday, which quite frankly I prefer a thousand times more than the usual useless, dismissive Carmilla I know and hate." Carmilla feels a pang in her heart again and fights it with as much strength as she possesses, for she will not tolerate feeling hurt by an irritating toddler. "Secondly," Laura carries on, "the nightmares mean I'm still at risk, am I right?"

 

The vampire looks at her, a veil of worry masking her features. "It does." Her voice is low and gruff.

 

The light-haired girl sighs. "Okay...okay. So, since you fell from the sky and landed in my roommate's bed, I'm guessing your Mother appointed you to..l-lure me, right?"

 

"Right," she offers as she keeps drinking the blood from the mug her captor is holding. "Feel free to appreciate the irony here."

 

Laura shakes her head, avoiding commenting on her last remark. "However, in light of recent revelations, you are not going to go through with it. So that means someone else will try to abduct me."

 

"Nice job, Laura Lane," offers Carmilla but the spite is not there. "And since I'm not a threat to you, would you be so kind as to release me, because this is getting old and, frankly, the longer you keep me this way the angrier I get and I'll start contemplating making a feast out you and your posse."

 

Laura lets out the smallest laugh and shakes her head.

 

"What?!" Carmilla asks deeply annoyed.

 

"Sometimes I forget you're a thousand years old. Posse? Really?"

 

"I'll have you know I'm not a thousand years old and 'posse' is a legitimate word and, if you don't release me, I swear I'm g-"

 

"I know, I know. I'm...sorry. I...I want to set you free, Carmilla. I do. I'm not happy about this, in spite of what you might think. It's just that - I have to talk to the girls first. We did this together, it's only fair that I run it by them."

 

Carmilla looks at her straight in the eyes. She sighs. "Fine. It's just-"

 

"What?"

 

"Nothing." Carmilla is cursing herself again.

 

"Carmilla?" asks Laura again not backing down. She moves closer to her captive and sets the now empty mug in the sink.

 

The vampire turns to look outside for a little while until she feels gentle fingers on her chin, asking for her attention. Carmilla turns to face her roommate again, her eyes different somehow. Resolute.

 

"You remember how many of you it took to take me down, don't you? And how many of you got hurt in the process? In spite of what your precious books and movies might want to show, vampires are immensely strong creatures. We do not sparkle, we snap necks using merely two fingers. We don't spend endless centuries playing the piano, we wreak death. Do not underestimate them even for just a second, Laura. Just because I haven't killed you, it doesn't mean that somebody else will follow my example. Once my Mother understands I have failed, she is certain to send another. That is why you're still having those nightmares. I'd advise you to go, as I have to the other girls, but since I know first-hand how stubborn and irritatingly loyal you are, I know you won't until you see this through-"

 

"I can't leave, Carmilla," Laura all but whispers. 

 

" _I know!_ That's why you have to set me free."

 

"What? You're going to go after your Mother? You just said yesterday th-"

 

"No, I won't. I _can't._ But I..." Carmilla lets out a deep breath through her nose. "I can protect _you._ "

 

Laura feels her heart swell at that and finds herself drawn. Carmilla never blinks. She keeps her eyes fixed at the younger girl, letting her know she's being serious. Laura struggles to find a response. How could she respond to that, when up until the day before she thought Carmilla was trying to eat her? And now she's there, offering to protect her when she was the one appointed to bringing her to the Vampire Dean - yes, this is how she refers to her now. How could she respond when she's basically been torturing Carmilla for more than a week? 

 

"Carm, I-"

 

"Good morning, Laura!" bids Danny cheerfully as she walks into the room. "Vampire?" she greets Carmilla, her manner not cheerful in the least.

 

Carmilla rolls her eyes so much she thinks they're going to get stuck watching her brain for the rest of her life.

 

"Danny, hey! Good morning!" answers Laura quickly taking a step back.

 

"How's everything? Did you sleep okay? Was there any trouble with this one?" Danny asks motioning to the vampire with her head.

 

"No, no, everything's fine. Well, Carmillawise. My sleep was not. I'll tell you all about it. The girls are going to be here in a few minutes and I'll brief you all about some new...information that have come to light," she says glancing at Carmilla who's back looking through the window again. She's finding this interaction tiresome to say the least. 

 

                                                                                                                       ----

 

Several cups of cocoa and a heated debate later, Laura convinces Danny, LaFontaine and Perry to untie Carmilla. It certainly was not an easy task. She had to recount Carmilla's story again and again, even though there was no puppet show this time - a Powerpoint presentation would suffice - and then point out the fact that if Carmilla wanted her dead she would have already killed her in her sleep or brought her to her Mother. 

 

"That was before we tied her up and starved her, L," LaFontaine had aswered. "She may be playing all nice right now just so we untie her and then go on to make a meal out of us."

 

Danny and Perry had nodded their agreement.

 

Laura insisted she wouldn't and when asked what made her so certain, Carmilla couldn't help but miss Damon and Stefan's fight over some girl named Helena who just screamed vampirebait by the way, only to hear Laura say that she trusted her. 

 

The room had grown silent then and the vampire couldn't look anywhere but Laura. The younger girl had returned the look, a dark pink hue colouring her cheeks, but she turned to her friends all too quickly.

 

Six hours later Laura enters her room to find her vampire roommate _still_ in bed, sleeping like a log surrounded by a disturbingly large number of bloody mugs and if Carmilla thinks that she's going to clean up her literally bloody mess she's gravely mistaken. She makes a point of shutting the door as loudly as she can, but Carmilla is still fast asleep. Laura shakes her head disbelievingly. So much for protecting her. Anyone could barge in here, hell they could have a concert in here and Carmilla would be none the wiser. 

 

Laura makes a bee line to the bathroom to have a shower and comes back to find Carmilla sitting up in her bed and- of course she's got her yellow pillow again. 

 

"Good morning, sunshine!" Laura says quite too loud for Carmilla's taste.

 

"Mhmm..." is her only answer.

 

"You're so not a morning person; or should I say an evening person since it's 7 pm?" Laura asks playfully.

 

"Oh, my apologies, cupcake. Is my catching up on sleep disturbing you somehow? Because, you know, I've been kind of...tied up these days and missed a few _days_ of good sleep."

 

Laura rests her hands on her hips, looking at her. "You're right, I'm sorry. I was only joking anyway."

 

The vampire huffs. "Whatever. What have you been up to anyway?"

 

"I had some papers due so I handed them in before I make a complete failure out of myself as a student."

 

"Right."

 

Carmilla gets up groaning and heads to the bathroom. A shower is long due.

 

"Uhm, where do you think you're going?"

 

"Excuse me?" the brunette asks incredulously.

 

"Would you clean up your mess? You're perfectly equipped to wash a few cups now that you're untied and all. It's like someone had a blood transfusion that's gone terribly wrong in here," Laura quips.

 

Carmilla sighs and, at the lowest speed a person can manage, picks up the bloody mugs and washes them. "Is everything to your liking now, creampuff?"

 

Laura barely lifts her head which is buried in her book and all she offers is a weak 'mhmm' irritating her roommate even more.

 

Several minutes later Carmilla comes out of the bathroom, all fresh and rejuvenated. Not showering for so many days had only added to her torturous experience. Laura's typing away at her computer, quite possibly conducting a thorough research on vampires. Carmilla chances a glance and yes, yes she is. Well, kind of. She's currently reading an article on Yahoo!Answers titled _'My roommate is a vampire_ ', which only causes Carmilla to laugh, startling the younger girl who rushes to close the tab.

 

"Do you really think you're going to find anything useful on there?"

 

"Well, at least I'm trying," Laura responds.

 

"Your precious search was narrowed down to basically 'how to live with a vampire'. I fail to understand how _that_ is going to assist in your crusade to save all those girls."

 

Laura tries to say something but gets interrupted. 

 

"Anyway, I'm sure you and your Rescue Team are going to find a solution soon. You'll possibly end up dead in the process but still."

 

Laura just stares at her disbelievingly. "And what about what you said?" She feels disappointed.

 

"What are you talking about, detective?" 

 

"You said...just a few hours ago you said you'll protect me. If it comes to that, that is. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself." Laura  responds setting her chin higher.

 

Carmilla smirks. That awful yet awfully sexy smirk of hers that always manages to elicit mixed feelings of anger and something else that Laura prefers not to think about. "Well, that I will. I didn't say anything about the others now, did I?"

 

The light-haired girl is growing angrier by the second. "And what about them? Are you gonna let them get hurt?"

 

"I'm sure the Upright Kilometre can take care of herself. And the other one?" Carmilla snaps her fingers repeatedly. "The one that brought the laptop?"

 

"LaFontaine!" Laura exclaims, finding difficult to understand how she still doesn't remember their names.

 

"Her, yes! Well, she looks feisty. She can also take care of herself and that girlfriend of hers", offers Carmilla getting a book from the shelf and lying on the bed.

 

"You're unbelievable, you know that?" Laura says.

 

"Thank you!" is the vampire's reply, dripping sarcasm and immerses herself in her book.

 

There's a knock at the door. Laura gets up to answer it. Carmilla can hear who it is but doesn't make the slightest effort to get up and then she hears Laura practically scream "SHE'S NOT HERE!" and slam the door close.

 

"Who was that?" she asks even though she knows the answer. 

 

"One of your _study buddies._ As usual!"

 

Carmilla looks at her, question in her eyes. "You can see me, right? Your unstable mental health hasn't affected your eye sight, has it?"

 

Laura's cheeks turn red and she avoids looking at her roommate. "Yeah, I know. Sorry. Force of habit, I guess," she offers weakly and sits on her bed, back to the wall, grabbing her book and pretending to read again. "You can run after her, I'm sure with your vampire speed you can catch her. She's the doe-eyed blonde bimbo, you won't miss her," she says and wonders where that came from. Jealousy is not her thing. 

 

_Jealousy?_

 

Carmilla just smiles, not uttering a word while her eyes stay glued on Laura. She then shrugs and returns to her book, not missing the other girl's side glances. The smile seems to hold a steady place on her face.

 

Time passes in silence and Laura turns in, not before she announces that Danny, LaFontaine and Perry will come by tomorrow to talk about the pressing issue of the missing girls and the Vampire Dean, earning a frustrated growl from the vampire in the opposite bed. Carmilla falls asleep a little after that only to be awakened by Laura's moans. She's having a nightmare again. Her eyes search Laura immediately, filled with concern. She contemplates if it's a good idea for a few seconds, but gets up anyway and approaches the other girl's bed.

 

"Laura..." she tries almost whispering. "Hey, Laura..."

 

Nothing. Her moans have to turned to whimpers and she can't stop her face from frowning. 

 

"Damn it..." she says to herself and leans closer to Laura, who's lying on her back. Her face looks contorted, like she's in pain and Carmilla finds she hates this sight. Her hand finds Laura's and she starts rubbing small circles on it. Laura seems unaffected by the brunette's effort to soothe her, while her whimpers grow louder. 

 

"Hey, hey..." Carmilla tries again, now using her right hand to push back a few strands of hair from Laura's sweaty forehead. Her voice is calm, lulling.

 

Laura gasps as she opens her eyes and jerks her hand away from Carmilla's and sits up. She doesn't miss the brunette's hurt look as she tries to catch her breath.

 

"You okay? You were having a nightmare," Carmilla asks sincerely, sounding genuinely concerned. 

 

Laura stares at her, trying to get her bearings and Carmilla's eternal change in moods isn't helping. One minute she's insulting her and the next she's flirting with her. One minute she's the example of apathy, the next she's worried about her. She swears it's giving her whiplash.

 

"Y-yeah...I'm okay, I guess," she replies faintly.

 

Carmilla offers a sad smile. This girl's resilience is admirable. 

 

Sometimes.

 

"Alright then, I'll just..." and moves to stand but Laura's hand is fast in hers again pulling her.

 

Carmilla doesn't say anything. Instead, Laura offers a crooked smile and utters a word; a single word that makes Carmilla's foolish heart melt and she hates herself again for it.

 

"Stay?"

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the kudos! It means a lot to me!
> 
> PS: Is it Tuesday already?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is. So sorry for the long wait. I've been extremely busy with work the last two weeks.   
> Hope you like this chapter :)

Laura needs to get a grip. This is getting out of hand. She keeps reading the same line over and over again and the effect is always the same. Nonexistent. The words are there, right in front of her but they seem to dissipate the moment she’s done reading each and every one of them.

She takes a not so tentative sip of her still quite hot cup of tea, burning her tongue.

“Oh for the love of-“

“ _Shhh!_ ” a clearly irritated student admonishes from the library desk to her left.

“ _Sorry,”_ she whispers shamefaced.

She covers her mouth and presses the tip of her tongue to the back of her teeth, trying desperately to alleviate the sting of the burn. Feeling slightly better, she lets out a deep breath through her nose and looks around her. The library is fairly crowded, which is only logical since midterm examinations are right around the corner. All of them appear to be exhausted to say the least and Laura wonders how many of them are this way due to endless hours of studying and how many because of the endless hours and more often than not _days_ of partying. At least they are all here for the same reason; studying for midterms. Which is why Laura is here, as well.

Well, among other things.

She turns her focus on her textbook and reads the same sentence again. The same damn sentence whose meaning eludes her, the words shamelessly flying over her head. The language is not that hard. Actually, it is too simple. No, it’s not that. It’s not the ambient noise either, for it is simply nonexistent. It’s something else entirely.

It’s _someone_ else.

Laura rolls her neck, the consecutive cracking sounds of her bones filling her ears and thankfully offering her momentary relief.

She’s tired and her eyes are burning. She’s been at this for hours. Ever since she woke up that morning to find herself curled up in Carmilla’s arms and basically ran to the library to study. She remembers Carmilla’s confused look which was soon replaced by one of hurt. She remembers blurting quick apologies and storming off her books in hand. But what she remembers more vividly is the damn indecipherable mixed feeling of fear and excitement.

She’s been trying– no, she’s been _striving_ to let it go and focus on her midterms, but she is failing miserably. Her mind seems to be trapped between trying desperately to forget anything ever happened and almost painfully analyzing every single aspect of the entire situation, the possible outcomes and her stupid confused feelings which have nothing but given her a migraine.

She rubs the back of her neck to relieve some of the tension that has only been building up and shuts her eyes when she hits the spot. The tips of her slender fingers rub small circles around the area, its rising temperature evident under her touch. She hears her breath hitch and her mind goes back to that morning for the millionth time that day. She sees tangled limbs again. Carmilla’s hand resting on her hip, her very own covering hers. She feels Carmilla’s chest pressing rhythmically on her back, the cadence of her breath indicating she’s still asleep thus giving her time to evaluate the situation. But what was there to evaluate really? Somehow during the night, over soothing words and calming caresses Laura had found herself in the vampire’s arms, finally granting her restful sleep. She remembers making the smallest of efforts to move, effectively disrupting Carmilla’s slumber who moved even closer, dipping her face into Laura’s exposed neck, her warm lips resting on bare skin. Laura can still feel the shot of electricity running through her body and finally settling in the pit of her stomach. Laura is not sure but she can quite clearly recall her body acting on its own volition, seeking further contact. That seemed to wake her companion up to the full extent since a deep, low growl reached Laura’s ears igniting a fire in her core. Instinctively, her fingers tightened around Carmilla’s and for the briefest of moments she wondered if she was dreaming. It had felt oddly familiar and riskily pleasant. Her thoughts got lost again in a whirl of sensation the moment she felt Carmilla’s lips find the crook of her neck and timidly close around the spot she was now obsessing over. The very memory of that light caress of lips starts the fire deep within her anew and she lets out a hint of moan, startling her from her daydreaming, much like it had violently brought her back to reality that morning ultimately causing her to leave the room in a panic and end up in the library.

Laura opens her eyes abruptly and looks around worried someone had heard her. Thankfully, everyone is immersed in their studying, which is what she ought to be doing right now but who is she fooling? She is not getting anything done any time soon.

  

* * *

 

 

Laura meets LaFontaine, Perry and Danny in her room and is both thankful and irritated that Carmilla is nowhere to be found. She had told her the night before that they would meet to come up with a plan about the Dean and the missing girls but, of course, her useless vampire roommate couldn’t care less. Team Red and Laura decide they need to identify the rest of the vampires that may reside in campus and convince Carmilla to help them do so, which, of course, is a job that calls for someone like Laura.

Danny seems skeptical about the whole thing and just before she leaves she takes Laura’s hands into her own and asks for the tenth time for her to be careful and promises to check in later that night.

Laura decides a shower will clear her reeling mind and after she comes out of the bathroom she finds Carmilla resting on her bed, a glass of blood in one hand and a book in the other.

“Hey” she greets and her tone resembles her usual snarky quality in no way.

“Hey” comes Laura’s response and she makes sure not to look at her roommate for too long. “You missed the meeting with the Ginger Team and Inspector Clouseau. I do hope the universe will survive this catastrophic misfortune” and with an eye-roll she goes back to reading her book.

And there it is.

“Yeah, yeah…mock all you want, Carmilla. The fact is that you are needed, though.”

“Needed how?” asks Carmilla looking up to face the other girl suspiciously.

Laura takes a step closer and sits somewhat awkwardly at the edge of Carmilla’s bed. “We have decided-“

“Ugh,” Carmilla’s already feeling exhausted and reckons her book is a million times more interesting than this conversation.

But Laura’s having none of it. She steals Carmilla’s book from her hands and places it behind her back. “ _We have decided,”_ she repeats enunciating ”that a proper next move would be to identify the rest of the vampires who live on campus,” she finishes looking proud of her plan. _Their_ plan.

“Your plan is utterly stupid,” replies the vampire and the irritated look she has plastered across her face does not go unnoticed.

“Stupid how?” Laura wonders as she narrows her eyes at her roommate and raises her chin.

“Well, considering how unfathomably _NOT_ subtle you and your group of heroes are, the moment you know which students are vampires you are certain to expose yourself and myself, thus managing to ensure our deaths. Is this your idea of success? If so, by all means, grab a pen and let’s get cracking on that list!”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. We can be subtle!” Laura dismisses with a wave of her hand.

“Oh yeah? Sure, you were the example of subtlety when you practically hired the Zetas to help you take me down. Or when you idiots got all that blood from the hospital for ‘research’, or when you actually did so poorly trying to hide the fact that you kept me tied up in here for almost two weeks! A girl came up to me today after one lecture and gave me a whole speech about how sexual preferences should be celebrated and passed me a flyer about the BDSM Club before she added, and I quote, _‘I heard you like that kind of stuff’_. Not that I mind and all, but do you _really_ think that ‘subtle’ is an accurate description of you and your friends, cupcake?”

Laura stared at Carmilla a tad dumbfounded. “Okay, you might have a point there. So, what would you suggest?”

“What I would suggest, although I have strictly and constantly stated that I don’t want to take part in any of your little schemes, that we displace the focus from you. That’s the only thing that…” Carmilla pauses, “that is reasonable right now.”

Laura studies the other girl for a few seconds. “Okay,” she offers calmly. “How do we do that?”

“The bracelet I gave you. Can you find it or did you throw it away destroying your only chance at surviving?”

“I…” Laura starts timidly a hint of red colouring her cheeks.

“Well?” the vampire inquires expectantly.

Laura stands up and shoves her hand under Carmilla’s matress fishing out the bat wing. ‘ _Of course’_ she hears her roommate mutter not amused.

Laura hands Carmilla the bracelet and sits down stoically as she lets the other girl tie the charm around her wrist. It is even uglier than she remembered.

“So what does it do exactly?” she asks.

“You know how some people’s blood or smell make them more attractive to vampires?” Carmilla explains.

“Yeah?”

“Well, this charm renders you the quite opposite.”

“Which means?” Laura inquires with a quizzical expression.

“Which means,” Carmilla clarifies, “that this bracelet is going to give you a not so attractive quality. Basically, you’re going to feel _off_ to vampires.”

“Oh…”

Carmilla leans back after she’s done tying the charm on her roommate’s wrist and offers a thin smile.  Laura can’t fight the guilty feeling that manages to overwhelm her every time. Carmilla had tried to help. She has been trying to help her all along and all Laura did was literally kidnap her and torture her. Granted, she did not have a way of knowing these things before she acted, but still. It was cruel and unfair and just not how she handles dire situations like these.

Not that she had ever been in one before.

“What is it now, sweetheart?” Carmilla wonders after she notices the other girl’s dejected look.

Laura shakes her head and runs her fingers on the bracelet. “Nothing…nothing I…it’s just that I…” she fumbles with the words.

Carmilla leans in encouraging her to talk.

Laura exhales offering a crooked smile glancing at Carmilla for a fracture of a second. “Thank you,” she finally manages.

Carmilla grins seductively and leans back to rest against the wall. “Well, let’s just hope you listen to someone’s advice for a change.”

Laura looks up and smiles shyly at the girl and they lock eyes for a few breaths. Despite her stress and worry over the whole vampires kidnapping people situation, the missing girls and the target sign that has been hanging over her head lately, she can’t help but wonder what Carmilla is thinking about that morning. She knows she hasn’t really stopped thinking about it and the air between them is tinted awkward albeit partly familiar. Her heart races at the prospect of Carmilla bringing up the subject and, frankly, she doesn’t know how she would handle it. So, she decides to let it go once again and focus on something less complicated.

“Okaaaay, so I have to get back to my studying now,” she states as she rises from the edge of her roommate’s bed and goes over to her desk to grab her books and notes.

Carmilla’s eyes follow her moves and Laura can detect sarcasm in her voice as she says “How did that go by the by? You looked so eager to pull an 18-hour study this morning.”

Laura simpers avoiding Carmilla’s gaze at all costs by pretending to look for another book of hers. “Well, yeah...ha…I can safely say that I covered 20 per cent of the material and the exam is in…” she turns to look at the clock on her computer screen “…just _twelve_ hours.” She sinks in her chair defeated. “Oh God, I’m going to fail my Lit exam.” The disappointment in herself is something entirely new to her and she must say, she’s not that keen on it. She has always been nothing but stellar regarding her academic career and now she is failing Literature.

“Ugh…” she huffs and covers her face with her small hands as she rests her head on the desk.

Carmilla gives the slightest of shakes of her head and rolls her eyes, not really believing herself. “I can help you study if you want to. You don’t have to spontaneously combust or anything.”

Laura turns her head slowly to examine the other brunette, her forehead still resting on the surface of the desk. “What?” she asks cautiously. “Really?”

“Well, yeah. But if you don’t want my help it’s fine. Whatever. I don’t care,” Carmilla responds not convincing anyone, even herself.

“Alright, yeah, sure. I could use the help, I guess.” She sits up and grabs the books and notes to place them on Carmilla’s bed. “I suppose you’re familiar with these,” she questions pointing to the books.

Carmilla just stares blankly. “I sometimes think you forget that I’m a little over three centuries old, cutie. Let’s just say I’ve had a lot of time in my hands and have actually read a couple of books. You obviously cannot fathom how wearisome immortality can be,” she states, her voice low and her tone somewhat smug.

“Obviously,” Laura replies. “Actual 19-year-old mortal here, remember?” she offers, pointing to herself. “Now, less talking and more studying. We’ve got less than twelve hours to go.” She grabs a book and opens it on Carmilla’s lap before she rests her feet up on the vampire’s bed. “Let’s start with some essay questions…” she exclaims awakened and Carmilla is already regretting her decision.

  

* * *

 

 

“Ughhh…my brain hurts! My eyes hurt, my back hurts!” Laura complains.

It’s been several hours since they started studying and going over the material she needs to cover for her midterm exam and those hours are taking a toll on her body.

“Stop yapping, you’re nearly there,” Carmilla urges, showing signs of tiredness herself.

“I can’t,” Laura whines and rubs furiously at her temples.

The vampire studies her for a couple of moments and gets up and heads for the kitchenette. “I hate to say ‘I told you so’ but maybe, _maybe_ you should have focused more on your studies and less on investigating the hideous wonder that is Silas University,” she remarks smirking as she prepares a cup of hot chocolate. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, cupcake, I can fully understand how easily…distracted one can get, and your little Veronica Mars role-playing can oftentimes be amusing – when you’re not scheming against me that is, but the truth is-“

Carmilla stops in her tracks to notice that Laura is not even listening to a word she is saying. She is curled up in Carmilla’s bed, hugging her pillow and she swears she can hear a light snore. Carmilla takes a moment to examine the tiny body that has taken over her side of the room and, were it someone else, she would have disemboweled them right there and then. She is accustomed to being the one claiming other people’s possessions and space, not the other way round.

Instead, she finds the sight before her most pleasing. Amusing. Adorable even.

She chastises herself briefly for her inability to fight these ridiculous thoughts and kneels down next to her bed facing Laura.

“Laura…”

“Laura, wake up,” she tries gently.

“Mmhhff…I’m…mmmhf…no, I’m just resting my eyes,” Laura responds sleepily, her voice almost a whisper and her words slurred.

“No, you’re not. And you have work to do. Come on, wake up or I’ll drink your chocolate.”

“Mmm…okay…” is all Laura mutters before she falls back asleep.

Carmilla is not famous for her patience though.

“Laura, wake up! It’s 8 o’clock!” she shouts.

Laura’s eyes shoot open. “ _WHAT?!_ I’m up! I’m up!” she exclaims now fully awake, only to realize that it’s still dark out and Carmilla is snickering. “You’re _evil_ ,” she says narrowing her eyes at Carmilla and sitting up on the bed, feet on the floor.

Carmilla is wearing her smug, disarming smirk as she sits down next to her sleepy roommate. “Why thank you!”

Laura stifles a yawn threatening to detach her jaw and proceeds to roll her eyes at Carmilla.

“Here,” the older girl offers the cup of chocolate. “You need the energy boost.”

Laura’s eyes travel between the cup and her roommate for a few times.

“It’s not poisoned!” Carmilla tells her, lack of amusement evident in her tone.

“No, no…it’s not th- I didn’t think it’s poisoned” Laura tries to fix and takes the cup from Carmilla’s hand, their fingers brushing for the briefest of moments. She takes a sip of the hot chocolaty heaven and closes her eyes reveling in the warmth of the liquid. When she opens her eyes she finds Carmilla’s gaze set on her.

“Thank you,” she whispers gratefully.

Carmilla takes a second to respond, her eyes never leaving the girl before her. It’s astonishing and fear inducing how easily one can divert from the path they have followed, or even planned to follow. She has endured so much; she has caused so much trouble to young girls like Laura and she has been hurt so damn much by one awfully resembling her as well. So, she had vowed not to let her foolish feelings get the best of her again. They can only bring pain.

Yet, here she is now, right by the side of the same girl that lured her into a trap, the same girl her Mother has targeted and ordered her kidnapping; the same girl that seems to disarm every single line of defense she may possess so easily it births shattering fear and awe.

“You’re welcome, I guess” offers Carmilla weakly and finally averts her eyes.

Laura sets the now half empty cup on the shelf behind the headboard. She leans closer to the other occupant of the bed and rests her hand over Carmilla’s.

The vampire, surprised at the gesture, turns to face the girl again, her eyes glistening. Laura’s expression mirrors Carmilla’s as she honestly offers “…for everything.” She wants to state specifically what she’s thankful for – the chocolate, the help with her studying, the bracelet and the fact that she had been trying to protect her all along – but she doesn’t. It’s not that she doesn’t try to. She does. But there’s something in Carmilla’s look that has rendered her speechless and she doesn’t fail to once again take notice of the inescapable pull she has experienced at times with her roommate. She momentarily wonders if it’s because of Carmilla’s eyes, or her skin, or her voice. That gravelly voice that seems to possess the mind-boggling ability to drive her crazy and titillate her at the same time.

No, she doesn’t say anything more.

Instead, she caresses the hand in hers and much like that morning, she can feel her body being drawn to the other girl. Their arms are touching, igniting nerve endings and neither of them move away. Carmilla, savoring the feeling of the other girl’s ministrations, fixates on sparkling orbs and Laura wonders if it is possible to drown in somebody’s eyes. She is overwhelmed, her senses flooded with excitement, anticipation and fear. Not fear of Carmilla, no - fear of the implications of letting go. She manages to catch Carmilla’s eyes drop to her lips and she can feel the fear giving way to desire - a small burning fire that is all too familiar and all the more growing.

When their lips touch, she doesn’t hold back.

Her lips are on Carmilla’s, tasting the girl for the first time. Her heart is pounding - so much she thinks it might explode, and wonders if Carmilla can hear it. Their lips are warm, dancing a slow rhythm, gliding over each other smoothly. Carmilla removes her hand from the other girl’s and sets it gently on the side of her neck, brushing her cheek in the process, and pulls Laura even closer. The younger girl’s hand travels up Carmilla’s thigh and the other is on her hip. It’s dead silent and they can only hear the occasional smack of exploring lips. Carmilla darts her tongue and it traces over sweet lips, asking for entrance. Laura indulges and feels Carmilla’s wet, claiming tongue on hers. She thinks it’s in her head, but then she really thinks she heard it - a small whimper that barely escapes her lips as their kiss grows hungrier. She is now tugging Carmilla’s shirt wanting to close the non-existent distance between them and for a second she doesn’t recognize herself. Carmilla presses her hand on Laura’s back as she deepens the kiss, tasting Laura’s breath – it is hot, mixing with her own and smells of chocolate. Her stomach is tied up in knots and she can hear both of their frantic heartbeats. What is she doing? She’s lost all sense of control.

Her lips lock lustfully with Laura’s before they leave them to trace the girl’s jawline. Her thumb rubs tiny circles against Laura’s cheek as she leaves a wet trail of gentle kisses on rosy flesh. Laura’s eyes are half-lidded, enjoying her roommate’s caresses which are making her stomach flutter. Their lips meet again and lock for a few moments before Carmilla leans back and runs her tongue over her own lips.

Laura watches mesmerized and wonders if she’s ever coming down from this high. The kiss has sent their heads spinning and Carmilla rests her forehead on the younger girl’s.

Laura can’t stop the shy smile that breaks out and finds that her mouth has gone dry, for when she tries to talk her voice comes out croaky. “I…” she clears her throat.

Carmilla shoots back and her eyes reveal a slight sense of panic mixed with worry.

“You’re not running off again, are you?” she asks sotto voce.

Laura offers an almost unnoticeable shake of her head, apparently rendered incapable of forming words at the moment. She hasn’t got the slightest idea of how she should prioritize her thoughts right now, but the most prevailing one that goes through her mind is that she doesn’t have to think about anything for the time being. Just for a change.

And so she does as she leans in and captures Carmilla’s lips between her own.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? 
> 
> By the way, this fic is likely to be 5-6 chapters long. It depends.


End file.
